Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669) was an Italian painter, architect, decorator, and designer, second only to Bernini as the most versatile genius of the full Roman Baroque style. He is named after the town of his birth, where he probably had some training with his father, a stonemason, before settling in Rome in about 1612. His first major works there were frescos in the church of S. Bibiana (1624–6), commissioned by Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini), and the patronage of the Barberini family played a major part in his career.

This painting depicts a bibical scene with a seven figures and a bady surrounding a travel chest with trees and a camel in the background. According to the book of Genesis in the Old Testament, Jacob served his uncle Laban to win in marriage his cousins Leah and Rachel. When Jacob and his wives departed for Canaan, Rachel stole her father's idols (religious statuettes). Laban pursued them. This painting shows him searching through one of the chests for the idols while Jacob holds open the lid. Rachel is sitting on a camel's saddle on the right where the idols are actually hidden.